Civic Register
| 11.14.17

DOJ Considering Special Counsel on Clinton Foundation

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What’s the story?

The Justice Department announced that prosecutors are evaluating whether a special counsel should be appointed to investigate alleged ties between the Clinton Foundation and the sale of Uranium One.

As the New York Times explained, "the prosecutors would examine allegations that donations to the Clinton Foundation were tied to a 2010 decision by the Obama administration to allow a Russian nuclear agency to buy Uranium One, a company that owned access to uranium in the United States."

The deal was approved by several agencies, including the State Department, which at the time was led by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

The Justice Department has been under pressure from President Donald Trump to investigate "crooked Hillary" and the Uranium Ore deal. In a series of tweets on November 3, the President wrote:

Why does it matter?

During Watergate, President Richard Nixon used the Justice Department to investigate his political enemies; since then, as the New York Times explained, the DOJ "has largely operated independently of political influence on cases related to the president’s opponents."

There’s also the question of Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who in March recused himself "from any existing or future investigations of any matters related in any way" to the 2016 presidential campaigns of Clinton and Trump.

In the letter sent to the House Judiciary Committee announcing the potential investigation, the assistant AG, Stephen Boyd, wrote:

"The attorney general has directed senior federal prosecutors to evaluate certain issues raised in your letters … These senior prosecutors will report directly to the attorney general and the deputy attorney general, as appropriate, and will make recommendations as to whether any matters not currently under investigation should be opened … or merit the appointment of a special counsel."

But during Sessions’ testimony with the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, the AG pushed back on the need for a special counsel. The former Alabama senator told Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) that it would take a "a factual basis that meets the standard of a special counsel" for the DOJ to make such an appointment.

"We will use the proper standards and that’s the only thing I can tell you, Mr. Jordan," Sessions said. "You can have your idea but sometimes we have to study what the facts are and to evaluate whether it meets the standards it requires."

Sessions later added:

"I would say the Department of Justice can never be used to retaliate politically against opponents, and that would be wrong."

Still, some conservatives are excited by the possibility of an investigation into alleged misdeeds by Hillary Clinton and the Clinton Foundation.

"We cannot live in a world where just because Hillary Clinton lost an election she gets a de facto immunity deal," Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz told Fox Business Network on Tuesday. “We got exciting news last night that the Attorney General is open to appointing a special counsel to investigate."

What do you think?

Should a special counsel be formed to investigate allegations regarding the Clinton Foundation and the Uranium One deal? Or is it a case of the DOJ going after a president’s political opponents? Hit Take Action, tell your reps, then share your thoughts below.

— Josh Herman

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